Water Cycle Vocabulary

Rusty Sturken Duluth Middle School Sixth Grade Earth Science

Water Cycle

•

The continuous process by which water moves from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and back, passing through the living and nonliving parts of the environment

Water Cycle

http://www.osovo.com/diagram/water_cycle.jpg

Water Vapor

(Water Vapor) •

Water Vapor is the invisible, gaseous form of water.

Water Vapor

(Water Vapor) •

Make sure you understand that fog and clouds are NOT water vapor, they are made of tiny droplets of condensed water. WATER VAPOR IS INVISIBLE

Photos by Rusty Sturken

Groundwater

•

Water that fills the cracks and pores in underground soil and rock layers

Groundwater

GROUNDWATER

http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/images/hydrocyc.gif

Evaporation

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The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid, such as water, absorb enough energy to change to a gaseous state, such as water vapor.

Evaporation

http://www.tapintoquality.com/facts/glossary/evaporation.jpg

Transpiration

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The process by which plants release water vapor through their leaves

Transpiration

http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module01/images/transpiration.jpg

Condensation

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The process by which a gas, such as water vapor, changes to a liquid, such as water

Condensation

http://www.dreamstime.com/blue-water-drops-condensation-thumb1809120.jpg

Precipitation

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Forms of water, such as rain, snow, sleet or hail that fall from clouds and reach Earth’s surface

Precipitation

http://www.fondriest.com/fileshare/subpages/science_library/precipitation.jpg

Irrigation

•

The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops

Irrigation

http://www.marymount.fr/public/WaterDeficits/Irrigation_clip_image005.jpg

Photosynthesis

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The process by which plants use water, plus carbon dioxide and energy from the sun, to make food

Photosynthesis

http://grapevine.net.au/~grunwald/une/KLAs/science/irrigation-photosynthesis.gif

Watershed

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The land area that supplies water to a river system ( think of “drainage basin”)

Watershed

http://www.recycleworks.org/images/watershed_800.jpg

Levee

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A long ridge formed by deposits of sediments alongside a river channel

Levee

http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/levees/press&siever13.13.png

Reservoir

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A natural or artificial lake that stores water for human use.

Reservoir

http://www.larryhotz.com/files/2009/05/reservoir2.gif

Eutrophication

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The process by which nutrients in a lake build up over time, causing an increase in the growth of algae

Eutrophication

http://www.lss-lab.bme.buaa.edu.cn/image/index%20of%20WWT_clip_image002.jpg

Pores

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Tiny openings in and between particles of rock and soil that may contain air or water

Pores

http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/3ar81gcwyc4cv/xamdic/5031273188662be420eb.jpg

Permeable

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Characteristic of materials such as sand and gravel that allow water to pass easily through them

Permeable

http://www.thomastrucking.com/images/Maryland%20Gravel.jpg

Water Table

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The top of the saturated zone, or depth to the groundwater in an aquifer

Water Table

http://www.groundwater.org/gi/images/groundwaterdiagram.jpg

Saturated Zone

http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/curriculum/unit4/images/saturated-zone.jpg

Saturated Zone

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A layer of permeable rock or soil in which the cracks and pores are completely filled with water

Aquifer

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An underground layer of rock or soil that holds water

Aquifer

http://mtnwater.com/images/missoula_aquifer-450.gif

Spring

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A place where groundwater bubbles or flows out of cracks in the ground

Spring

http://www.advicesisters.net/uploaded_images/spring-713775.jpg

Recharge

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New water that enters an aquifer from the surface

Recharge

http://geopanorama.rncan.gc.ca/ottawa/images/biggroundwater.jpg

Artesian Well

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A well in which water rises because of pressure within the aquifer

Artesian Well

http://geology.com/articles/bottled-water/artesian-well.gif